Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 377 The penalty drink is surprisingly delicious!
Tsk~
Seeing this scene, even Master Zhang didn't know what to say. He had personally experienced the rigidity and conservatism of the dwarven clan, which was completely different from the dwarven mercenary adventurers who were out in the world.

However, he could not accept returning to Baldur's Gate in such a disgraceful manner.

Hey.

The mage sighed and spoke loudly to the still-on-duty dwarven guard:
"Elder Cloren, I am Chanem, Lord of Highcliff. I fear your clan may have some misunderstandings about my two good knights. I wonder if we can discuss this?"

Not long after the words were spoken, the old dwarf's gruff voice rang out:

"What knight lord nonsense? Don't try to fool us Sons of Moradin with your human tricks. There's nothing to talk about!"

If you don't eat the toast, you will be punished with a drink!
Even the mage, who was mentally prepared, couldn't help but feel a little impatient. He raised an eyebrow, quickly made a spell-casting gesture, and two chess pieces were summoned one after the other.

"I'll treat you next time!"

"Revenge is my mission!"

A lovable, brown-furred bear-man resembling a wine connoisseur, holding a fishing rod, and a white-skinned, red-eyed vengeful spirit are summoned.

As one-star pieces, they didn't possess much intelligence, but that didn't matter. With a thought from the mage, the Spirit of Vengeance vanished from his sight, replaced by a bewildered dwarf elder, Krolen.

The ability to shift positions is similar to castling, except that it does not require the target's consent and has a longer casting range.

After the swap was completed, the Vengeful Spirit was sent back to the chessboard space. The dwarves behind the shield array were dumbfounded. Suddenly, a living person was gone, replaced by a human woman dressed in rather indecent clothes, but her skin was too pale and she didn't look like a living person.

And then it disappeared in a flash...

Putting aside the chaotic dwarven guards, Kloren had already realized that it must have been the evil magic of this despicable mage that had lured him here, intending to control and coerce him.
"I think we can talk now..."

"Let's talk about my hammer!"

The old dwarf, gripping the hammer handle tightly, roared and lunged at the arrogant mage before him. Any spellcaster who dared to let him get close had only one fate!
That is…

Whoosh~
Thump~
After a ghostly wailing sound and the sound of rays striking a body, the ferocious old dwarf landed in a tiger-like stance, right in front of the mage.

The Tremors of the Underworld and the Weakening Ray—the former being a skill of the Necromancer Dragon that paralyzes and freezes the target's ability to move, and the latter being a second-circle spell that weakens power—made Kloren's legs go weak after being hit by both.

Upon hearing the elder's roar, the dwarves not far away seemed to have found their backbone. They disregarded their defensive formation and charged over with their short legs, while the crossbowmen pulled the triggers in unison towards the cloud chariot.

The mage, who had witnessed everything, paid no attention. With a thought, he commanded the dragons guarding the cloud chariot to raise their wings, rendering an entire wave of projectile attacks ineffective.

The Beastmaster raised his large barrel, and a stream of golden liquid shot out rapidly towards the dwarf guards.

Just as the dwarves were about to take action, a splash of golden light flew down, instantly turning into a mist that spread out, filling their mouths and noses with a rich and mellow aroma.

The dwarves, who came from a family that made sweet wine, were no strangers to the taste of fine wine and alcohol. They greedily inhaled the aroma through their noses and mouths, and were a little puzzled by the other party's actions. Did he really think he could get drunk with just this little bit of wine? He was underestimating their alcohol tolerance!
Just as they were about to take a step, a strong sense of dizziness and confusion overwhelmed them. These heavy drinkers, who were usually able to drink more than anyone else and boasted that they could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, swayed and became unsteady on their feet.

The Brewmaster's Ember Brew is not comparable to ordinary alcohol; it can almost be considered a magical potion.

The mage, having withdrawn his gaze, turned his attention back to the old dwarf who was struggling to get up.

"Give Elder Clauren a proper welcome. He's getting on in years, so don't be so hot-tempered. He's always ready to fight to the death." The two dwarf brothers, who had rushed back to the cloud chariot, received the order and quickly stepped forward to help the clan elder. They also took off his weapons to prevent him from launching any further attacks, which only made the situation more awkward.

"Lord Clauren, you should be able to see that I have no hostility."

"Humph!"

The monk smiled and didn't care about the other party's attitude. With a flick of his finger, a wine barrel floated steadily into his hand. After flicking the cork away, he shook the barrel a few times, allowing the sweet and rich aroma of the wine to waft out, stimulating the appetites of the three old drunkards like soft feathers.

"The winemaking techniques of the sweet wine family in the Trilta Hills are quite famous even in the Sword Coast. You are surely not the kind of person who doesn't know their value."

"joke."

Klaus tried to shake his arm, but found he couldn't break free. He exhaled white breath from his nostrils and growled in a low voice:

"I can tell this is good wine just by smelling it, but so what? What do you take us for, stupid, brainless cannibals?"

"Trying to buy the glory of Moradin's son with just two barrels of wine, and to exonerate those who betray their clan—I, Krolen, am just that…"

"A truckload of fine wine, with the recipe included."

The elder, who had been gesturing excitedly, causing the two dwarf brothers beside him to almost "support" him, suddenly stiffened. His head moved awkwardly back and forth as he looked at the screen, as if a video was lagging and skipping frames.

"What did you say?"

Without wasting words, Zhang Yuan stood up, walked to the container, and pulled it open, revealing eighteen neatly arranged wine barrels.

"Here it is."

"I mean, the formula."

For the first time, a look of anxiety and uncertainty appeared on the old dwarf's face.

This made it impossible for him not to be nervous and concerned. As an elder, he understood all too well what fine wine, especially a recipe for a fine wine, meant to their clan.

Unlike other dwarf clans who would simply drink their wine to excess, the Sweet Wine Clan, who settled in the hilly region, had no mineral veins to mine and no abundant resources. Apart from being self-sufficient in grain, they relied on their clan's traditional winemaking techniques and trade with the outside world for most of their resources.

This is precisely why the dwarves of the Sweet Wine Family attach such importance to the recipe for their wine, and why, despite having extensive trade relations with the outside world, they remain closed and conservative internally.

The consequence of personnel leaving the country could be the leakage of classified technologies. Even if we can't draw any profound conclusions, we can still gain this understanding through the experience, wisdom, and vigilance that time brings.

"Good wine! My dear~~"

After taking a small sip, Klaus couldn't resist chugging down three large mouthfuls and put down his glass, letting out a burp.

The joy of accident!

Thank you so much to my loyal reader Angel for the generous donation! You're such a loyal reader, it's so kind of you to come and give me a donation. I'm so sorry, but I won't do it again!
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(End of this chapter)